Homemade Lamb Shawarma with homemade harissa and homemade pita bread

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade pita bread ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

   Bowl
2. 2
   Add the lukewarm water and olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.

   BowlStand mixer

   💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
3. 3
   Cover and Let rise about an hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.

   Plastic wraporKitchen towel

   💡Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.
4. 4
   Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F), with an upside-down baking sheet inside, for at least half an hour.

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
5. 5
   Divide the dough into 10 balls and roll each ball into a circle about ½ cm thick.

   Rolling pin

   💡Don't roll too thin: in a round half a centimeter thick or more, the steam in the dough puffs it into a pocket; a round that's too thin dries into a cracker.

   💡Dough that springs back needs rest: cover the balls for 10 minutes and the gluten relaxes.
6. 6
   Cover the rounds with a towel and let rest 15 minutes.

   Kitchen towel
7. 7
   Bake on the hot baking sheet, 3–4 pitas at a time, 3–5 minutes, until the pitas puff into a pocket and take on a little color.

   OvenBaking sheet

   💡Full heat and a scorching-hot baking sheet are what make the pocket: in an oven that isn't hot enough, the pita bakes flat.

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
8. 8
   Wrap immediately in a towel, so the pitas stay soft.

   Kitchen towel

For the Shawarma

1. 9
   Soak the dried peppers 30 minutes in hot water, drain and remove the seeds.

   Bowl
2. 10
   Grind the peppers in a food processor with the garlic, salt and black pepper.

   Food processor

   💡In a food processor, grind in short pulses and check between pulses: it's easy to go from coarse to paste. (Sesame for tahini, on the other hand, is ground continuously.)
3. 11
   Add the oil in a thin stream, while Tahini, until a smooth paste.

   Food processor

   💡The thin stream is everything: fat that goes in too fast can't bind, and the sauce breaks. For mayonnaise and hollandaise, if this happens, start with a fresh yolk and slowly add the broken sauce to it; if the sauce is too thick, thin it with a teaspoon of water.
4. 12
   Coat the slices of the lamb in a mixture of the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, harissa, garlic, salt and black pepper, cover and marinate in the fridge at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.

   BowlRefrigerator
5. 13
   Heat a heavy pan over high heat.

   StoveFrying pan
6. 14
   Grill the slices of the lamb 2 minutes per side, until charred and cooked through.

   Stove
7. 15
   Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, let rest 5 minutes and slice into thin strips.

   KnifeCutting board
8. 16
   Heat a dry pan over medium heat, and warm the pita in it.

   StoveFrying pan
9. 17
   Spread in the pita the tahini, arrange in it the shawarma and the tomatoes and pickles, roll up and serve immediately.